Small Kitchen Design | Big Remodeling Ideas in a Small Kitchen Space

The smaller the kitchen, the greater the need for smart design during a
remodel , especially if you don't have the option to increase square footage.
Keep these ideas in mind when planning your new
kitchen.

Clean lines create more room, both visually and physically.

A small kitchen with ornate cabinetry and oversized appliances will look
small and feel cluttered. Choose
cabinets with clean design lines and minimal hardware to streamline their presence.
Or you can remove upper cabinets if you have sufficient
storage space below and install light and airy open
shelving.

Buy appliances that suit your everyday needs, not those of special occasions.
If your food and drinks typically only take up half of your fridge, look
at smaller models. And you don't need a double oven just for the one
day a year you make a turkey AND a ham. The saved space will further open
up the room.

One color on the cabinets and walls allows for better visual flow.

When you
paint cabinets the same color as the adjacent walls, it allows the eye to move
swiftly around the room, again creating clean lines and the appearance
of more space. Opt for lighter colors, which reflect light, as opposed
to darker ones that can create a closed-in feeling when used throughout the room.

Glass fronts on cabinets deepen the space.

Whether using existing cabinets or purchasing new ones, ask to see how
they would look with a glass front. This style extends the room visually
when used correctly, such as when you place only a stack of plates on
a shelf and allow the viewer to see the back of the cabinets. The glass
itself also lightens the room, especially if the cabinetry has a dark finish.

So does a mirrored backsplash.

Mirrors have been creating the illusion of more space since the dawn of
design, but you may never have considered using one to do the same in
your kitchen. Not only will the reflection open up the room, the surface
is much easier to clean and keep that way than paint or other
backsplash materials.

An interesting light fixture draws the eye up.

A stylish
light fixture will add vertical depth to the room and also can serve as a statement
piece in the room. Just keep in mind how low it hangs as to not defeat
the purpose and create that unwanted closed-in feeling. Also be sure everyone
in the home has enough clearance to walk underneath it if the light does
not hang over an island or bar.

Ditching the window treatments lets in more light.

Unless neighbors or passersby can see into your kitchen, go without
window treatments. Just as lighter paint colors reflect light and create the
illusion of a bigger space, so will a window. If you do have privacy concerns,
choose a blind the same color as the surrounding trim and one that will
let in light but not prying eyes.

Clean lines on furniture also create more room, both visually and physically.

Many small kitchens double as an eating space. If yours does, opt for streamlined
furniture as well. Look for thin but sturdy table tops and legs, and don't
look at any chairs with arms. You really don't need to rest your arms
during a meal. The same goes for any barstools if you have a bar or other opening.

For more kitchen design ideas, no matter the size of the space, check out
our other
kitchen design remodeling posts. We've got you covered from the design phase through to completion
of the remodel.

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